The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act clarifies that the Federal Communications Commission – an agency housed within the Executive branch of the federal government – has the legal authority to stop prison phone companies from charging exorbitant fees to incarcerated people.

This bill would end driver’s license suspensions for failure to pay traffic tickets and failure to appear in traffic court. The bill would also automatically reinstate licenses suspended for failure to pay and failure to appear with no need for individuals to pay reinstatement fees or suspension termination fees.

The North Carolina Next Step Act provides that courts may no longer revoke driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees unless there is a court finding at sentencing that the person is able to pay and the person’s license should be revoked if the person fails to pay.

The bill provides that when a person fails to pay their fines and fees (whether for traffic, misdemeanor, or felony offenses), a clerk will provide written notice advising that failure to pay within the following 90 days will result in the court pursuing collection of the debt. Before this law was passed, courts suspended driver’s licenses for nonpayment.

Nevada AB 416 clarifies that community service credits can be applied toward outstanding fines and fees, and provides that community service hours will be credited against debt at a rate of $10 per hour or the state’s minimum wage, whichever is higher.

Nevada Assembly Bill 439 abolishes a wide variety of fees associated with juvenile courts in Nevada, instead providing that relevant services and facilities should be funded through federal, state, or county budgets.